Club de Hockey Canadien
With seven games left in the season, the Laval Rocket were in a spot to do something that a Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate hadn’t done in a long time: clinch a division title. All they needed was a single point against the Toronto Marlies, but they still had quite the challenge on their hands. They were without Alex Belzile and Cayden Primeau (recalled to the NHL), Joseph Blandisi, Michael Pezzetta, and Joel Teasdäle (season-ending injuries), and Ryan Poehling and Cale Fleury (day to day).
Xavier Ouellet was back in the lineup, as were Laurent Dauphin and Brandon Baddock. Joining them were Arsen Khisamutdinov, Jan Myšák, and Cam Hillis to round out the forward group. Michael McNiven got the start and looked to continue his hot streak after a shutout victory over the Belleville Senators in his last outing.